Football tee



Nov. 23 1926.

M. B OETTCHER FOOTBALL TEE Filed Sept. 10, 1926 MM}: Emma? AT'I'ORN EY fatented Nov. 23, 1926.

barren STATES tee.

MARTIN BOETTCHER, OF CLIFTOII, NEVI JERSEY.

FOOTBALL TEE.

Application filed September This invention relates to improvements in football tees and has for its primary object the provision of a device for supporting a football off the ground in a position to be kicked.

Another object of the invention resides in a football tee which is adapted to be used in the playing of the game of football to support the football at the proper angle to 0 be kicked whereby the necessity of having one of the players hold the football in such position is dispensed with. It will therefore be appreciated that the team kicking off will present an equal number of men in action heretofore, the player assigned to holding the ball was at a decided disadvantage in getting into action after the ball was kicked.

A further object is to provide a football tee which is constructed of a single piece of material bent to form a pair of yieldable jaws-for gripping the football, and a shank adapted to be inserted into the ground for supporting the tee in an upright position.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel construction and. combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of my improved football tee.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing in dotted lines a football held thereby.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the tee.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral designates my improved football tee in its entirety and which comprises a single piece of galvanized iron wire or the like formed into .a straight stem or shank 11. The free end of the shank is pointed as at 12 to permit of its easy insertion into the ground. One end of the wire is split to provide yieldable jaws 13,13 and which jaws are spread into U-shape configuration to provide a relatively wide mouth for the reception of the football 14 to be held therein. The jaws are bent at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shank 11 at the joinder of the jaws as shownin Figure 2 of the drawing. The free ends of the jaws 13 are provided with inwardly extending trunnions 15 which lightly grip opagainst the team receiving the kick-off, as

10, 1926; swarm. 124,733.

posite sides of the football 14 when inserted therein. The lower end of he football rests of the kicker follows through the jaws so that no parts of the tee are likelyto come within the path of the kickers foot. It will be seen that the device holds the football at an angle with respect to theearth or ground and eliminates the necessity of one of the players holding the ball in such position for the kicker. It will be appreciated that it is dangerous for the player holding a football as has been the practice, as the playeris often kicked on the arm or hand. In addition to being used at the kick-off of a football game the tee may also be used for kicking goals after touch down. After the ball has left the tee one of the officials such as the referee or the umpire may pull up the tee to prevent the players from tripping thereover and may be given the custody until again used.

While I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my inven tion, it is obvious that many of the details maybe varied without in any way departing from the spirit of my invention, and I therefore do not limit myself to the exact details of construction herein set forth nor to anything less than the wholeof my invention limited only by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A football teecomprising a means for holding a football at an angle with respect to the level of the ground, andmeans for supporting said first means above the level of the ground. 7

2. A football tee comprising a shank adapted to be inserted into the ground. holding means on said shank for supporting a football above the ground and at an angle with respect to the ground.

3. A football tee comprising a shank adapted to be inserted into the ground and jaws carried by said shank for supporting a football above the ground.

4. A football tee comprising a shank adapted to be inserted into theground and yieldable jaws carried by said shank for supporting a football above the ground.

5. A football tee comprising a shank adapted to be inserted into the ground, and

spaced j aWs extending from said shank at an angle With respect to the longitudinal axis of the same. a

6. A football tee comprising a single piece of bendable material formed to provide a shank adapted to be inserted into the ground,

one end of said material being split and bent to provide a pair of aws disposed at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis MARTIN BoETToi-ma. 

